Astek Diagnostics is a Baltimore-based MedTech startup developing a platform for diagnosing urinary tract infections (UTIs) with unprecedented speed and accuracy. In Episode #33, Key Tech’s Andy Rogers and Lauren Eskew discuss this exciting development with Astek Diagnostics co-founder and CEO Dr. Mustafa Al-Adhami. Need to know UTIs are proliferating — Within thirty years, global cases rose 90% to over 400 million cases[CC1] , with over 8 million hospital visits in the US alone.  Rapid tests are unreliable — Low-specificity dipsticks have high false-positive rates. Clinical tests are s ..read more

Blackbird Labs is a life sciences accelerator with a mission to develop Baltimore’s biotech startup ecosystem. Funded by the owners of the Baltimore Ravens, Blackbird’s focus is on bridging the gap between research labs and clinical trials. In Episode #32, Andy Rogers of Key Tech talks with Blackbird Labs CEO Matt Tremblay about Blackbird’s integrated initiative to foster life science and biotech research in Baltimore. Need to know Building Baltimore’s biotech infrastructure — The Baltimore area is home to some of the nation’s top biotech research institutions with lots of mid-career talent, b ..read more

MicrofluidX is an early-stage developer of cell and gene therapy manufacturing platforms that aims to streamline the transition from laboratory research to large-scale GMP manufacturing. In Episode #31 of the Speed to Data podcast, Key Tech hosts Andy Rogers and Director of Strategy Lei Zong speak with Dr. Lindsey Clarke, MicrofluidX Vice President of Commercial, about the company’s solution to advanced therapy commercialization. Need to know Cell and gene therapies are revolutionizing medicine — Since the 1990s, these therapies have opened new avenues for curing once-terminal conditions like ..read more

Rivanna Medical is a Virginia-based developer of ultrasound imaging technologies. Accuro, the company’s first product, is a “stud finder for the spine” for more accurate needle placement during spinal and epidural procedures. In Episode #29, Andy Rogers of Key Tech talks with Rivanna’s Chairman, CEO, and Co-founder, Will Mauldin, Ph.D., about the role of data in his company’s AI-powered product. Need to know Three million vaginal and caesarian births in the United States require anesthesia injected into the epidural space around the spinal cord. Twenty million patients receive epidurals durin ..read more

Uterine cancer rates in the United States are rising. Yet uterine exams rely on expensive, difficult, and painful procedures developed decades ago. North Carolina-based Luminelle has developed an office-based alternative that could revolutionize women’s health. In Episode 28 of the MedTech Speed to Data podcast, Andy Rogers of Key Tech talks with Allison London Brown, Luminelle’s Chief Executive Officer, about her company’s innovation journey.  ..read more

Sometimes, it takes direct experience to understand the value of innovation. Born out of personal crisis, Luminoah is developing a solution to enteral nutrition, or tube feeding, that will dramatically improve patient quality of life. In Episode #27 of the MedTech Speed to Data podcast, Key Tech’s Andy Rogers talks with Luminoah CEO Neal Piper about bringing much-needed innovation to in-home care. Need to know Tube feeding is extremely common — Every year, half a million new patients, from infants to geriatric patients, can’t swallow solids or liquids and require an alternate means of nutrien ..read more

Many conditions can elevate or depress the intracranial pressure (ICP) of fluid pushing on the brain, potentially seriously impacting patient health. However, the only ways to measure ICP require specialized invasive techniques that are too risky for most patients. In Episode #26 of the MedTech Speed to Data podcast, Key Tech’s Andy Rogers talks with Ryan Myers, CEO and Co-founder of CranioSense, about developing portable, non-invasive ICP measurement technologies ..read more

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The National Institutes of Health spends about $42 billion on medical research each year, but less than one-eighth of that money is spent specifically on women’s health. That may come as a bit of a shock, given that women make up a majority – about 51% – of the population. This underserved market is a huge economic opportunity for med tech companies. That’s what Holly Rockweiler discovered as a Fellow at the Stanford Byers Center for Bio Design. So she put her background in biomedical engineering to work and started Madorra Medical, developing solutions to improve the vaginal atrophy and dryn ..read more

Surgery is not usually considered a spectator sport, but an OR is often filled with the surgical team, colleagues, residents, and medical device clinical representatives, in addition to a patient and equipment. Now Avail Medsystems, based in Silicon Valley, has created a way to increase learning, collaboration, and idea-sharing in the OR – while reducing the headcount – by connecting physicians and care teams to remote experts and device industry representatives during medical procedures.  The Avail surgical telepresence platform is a hardware and software platform that enables instant ..read more